It is a Future That They Bring When Tomorrow Comes
by I am the Demon Barber
Summary: Voldemort may be dead, but the war has just begun. With everyone mourning the loss of the loved ones, and trying desperately to get with the one they love most, something's certain to explode.
1. Egg, Nest, and Tree

**Hi. So, I had this idea for a Harry Potter story, and every chapter would be written based on a song. I want to try and use every song that's on my kindle (my kindle because if it was my ipod, there'd be about eighteen thousand chapters). That's 145 songs. It'd be a lot, but I really want to do it.**

** Now, it's definitely going to be hard because I have everything from show tunes to country to…God-only-knows-what on my kindle. And some of them are in Italian… So some chapters will only be LOOSELY based on a song. Some might work perfectly. It all depends, because I'm not choosing which song at what time, I'm just putting it on shuffle and going with it.**

** This will be told in multiple POVs, but there will be really no order to it, because I will just be going on which song fits which character.**

** Like I said earlier, some chapters will only be loosely based on a song, and that goes for this one. It's based on Egg, Nest, and Tree from Seussical, and I can't feasibly have elephants, sour kangaroos, and cats-in-the-hats running around Hogwarts. This chapter will be more metaphorical.**

** Oh, and nobody's a couple at this point, so it's kind of AU.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothin'.**

Harry sat alone at one of the table that used to hold the students that feasted on the delicious Hogwarts. It used to be full of life, students grabbing this way and that and the delicacies, but now it lay desolate, with only the survivors to sit at it, quietly mourning the death of their fellow fighters. Harry couldn't help but feel he should be held responsible.

He been told so many times that it wasn't his fault, but that didn't matter. No matter how many times it was said, Harry couldn't escape the guilt. Voldemort was right. For once, he was. He had let his friends die when he could have easily protected them. All he would've had to have done was show up, and none of his friends would have died.

Hermione had yelled at him for thinking that way. She had gone on about how he didn't have a choice. To show up would have just been to give up. Everyone who fought had known the risks. They hadn't gone in thinking that they'd all go back to their friends and families in the end and been able to act like nothing ever happened. They knew they might die. They didn't care.

But when Harry saw the bodies that littered the castle, his stomach churned. He felt like he might be sick right there. It was as if he was sitting on a rocking boat, being tossed about, the ocean constantly moving beneath him. He tried to pretend he was fine when with his friends, but Hermione and Ron could see right through him. So Harry hadn't seen them much lately. There was honestly only one person that Harry really wanted to see right now. But she didn't want to see him.

Ginny had not spoken to him since the end of the battle. He probably deserved it. She had no reason, honestly, to ever wish to see him again. In fact, if that's what she chose, he would deal with it. But he was really hoping against it. He still did, and always would, for that matter, love her, even if she did not feel the same way for him.

Harry sighed, and saw Hermione approaching him out of the corner of his eye. He sighed again. He wasn't really in the mood for her. He cared deeply for Hermione, and she was a fantastic friend, but she could also be a gigantic pain in the arse sometimes. He knew she was coming to lecture him about something, probably one of her two favorite subjects lately: his depressive state, and Ginny. He really didn't want to go into either of them right then. He stood up casually, hoping he could pass for just not seeing her, but Hermione wasn't fooled.

"Harry Potter," she said, annoyed, "do not ignore me! I know that you can see me."

Harry sighed for the third time, and turned back to face her. "Yes, Hermione?"

"Are you all right Harry?" she said, all pretense of annoyance gone.

"Yes, Hermione, I'm fine." It was Harry's turn to be annoyed.

"No you are not!"

"Then why bother asking?"

"Because I thought maybe you'd be able to admit it by now!"

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"Harry, don't be like that! You need to talk about these things. Ron and I are worried about you!"

"Really? And are you trying to get the answers to my problems by shoving your tongues down each others' throats?"

"Harry!"

Harry looked down. That was out of line, and he knew it.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"You know things aren't that simple between the two of us," Hermione said. "But it doesn't matter. This isn't about Ron and I. It's about you and you-know-who. Well, not the Voldemort you-know-who, that'd be creepy, but the other you-know-who. Oh, you know what I mean."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"Oh, I got a laugh?" Hermione said in mock shock. "Fantastic!"

They both laughed a little bit, then settled into silence.

"Harry, you have to talk to her," Hermione said urgently after a moment.

"I want to Hermione," Harry said. "Believe me, I do. But I think she needs her space. She really has shown any great excitement to see me, you know."

"Harry, she still cares about you a lot."

"Hermione, I really don't want to have that conversation."

"You need to, Harry. I can't stress how important it is."

"Well, what about Ron-"

"Screw Ron!"

Harry's eyes widened at Hermione's sudden outburst. In happier circumstances, he may've laughed. But not now. He just stared at her in shock.

"Sorry," Hermione said. "But-you-Ron will have to deal with it. If he's a good friend and a good brother, he's not going to stand in your way. If you two make each other happy then-"

"But that's just it, Hermione," Harry cut in. "I don't know if we still make each other happy. I know she makes me happier than anything else in the world can, but I don't know if I can say the same for her."

"That's why you have to talk to her. You'll never know if you don't ask."

Harry knew inside that she was right. But, still, he was starting to get that same nauseous feeling that he did when he saw all the dead bodies in the school. The being tossed around like a cork on water feeling. He didn't like it. At all. Yet, he swallowed down his fears and headed off.

** Well, how was that. I hope it wasn't too terrible. If you didn't see the song Egg, Nest, and Tree in there, it was basically the part where Harry felt like he was being tossed about on a ship and might be sick.**

** Next chapter: Harry and Ginny actually talk.**

** Review!**


	2. The Winner Takes It All

**Well, here's the next chapter. If that wasn't obvious… It's based on "The Winner Takes it All" by ABBA.**

** Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

Ginny was exhausted. Literally exhausted. She watched her whole family cry for Fred, but she didn't. She didn't even have strength enough to cry. She just sat miserably, her whole body aching, threatening to just shut down and let sleep claim her, perhaps forever.

She wished she would just cry. She wished she could break down and sob. Maybe her stomach would her a little less and her muscles wouldn't be as sore. Maybe she'd actually feel the need to keep going. She knew it would come in its time, though. The tears would eventually fall. It was only a day after the war had ended, after all. It would come.

She also knew it wouldn't all be for Fred and the other casualties. She'd tried to convince herself otherwise, but in the end, she knew there would be tears for _him_. It always came back to him. Always.

She hadn't seen him since the end of the battle. It was only a day, but it felt like an eternity. Yes, it's cliché, but it's true. Well, sure, she'd seen him, but she hadn't actually _seen _him. She'd seen him in the halls and the courtyards, helping clean things up, but she hadn't talked to him or anything. She was sure he wasn't thinking about her. So she'd let him be.

Truth be told, yes, she was angry at him. She really didn't know why he had to leave her there all alone. The Golden Trio can go off gallivanting across the country, but not Ginny. She's too young. She'll get hurt. She'll mess something up. Ginny was pretty fed up with it.

She was pretty fed up with Hermione coming to tell her she needed to talk to him, as well. Hermione really never could mind her business. Sometimes it was sweet, but this time it was just irritating.

Ginny shock her head, simultaneously shaking herself out of her reverie. She had been standing there awkwardly, staring off into space. She was supposed to be cleaning up rubble.

She starting walking and turned the corner, almost walking right into someone.

"Sorry," she muttered, then looked up. _Crap, _she thought. It was him. Harry.

"Sorry," she said again, then walked around him. She walked a little too quickly, but she really didn't want to be there.

"Ginny, wait," Harry said. Ginny froze. She considered running off, but she knew he would pursue her, and she didn't trust herself to run very fast in her sore and weakened state. She instead just turned.

"Yes, Harry?" she inquired, keeping her expression blank.

"I-uh-I'm no good at apologies-," he said, staring at the ground, "but I'd like to say, sorry. I know that I hurt you running off the way I did, but I just didn't want you to get hurt."

Ginny sighed. "Harry, look, I know you wanted to protect me, but I don't need protecting."

"Yes you do, Ginny! If something would've happened-"

"It wouldn't have been your fault!" Ginny was surprised at how angry she sounded, but it had been coming for a while. "I'm not some porcelain doll that at the blink of an eye could be shattered! You have to stop seeing me like that! I can protect myself."

"Ginny, I-"

"No! Harry, I'm not that little girl you saved five years ago, cold and lost in the Chamber of Secrets! I'm not a damsel in distress! I'm tired of being treated like one!"

"I'm sorry; I just didn't want you to get hurt."

"You and Ron are so much alike. You always don't want me to get hurt and yet you two are constantly the ones causing me the most pain!"

Harry winced, but Ginny was too riled up to really care.

"Harry, I can fight for myself. You have to remember that," Ginny said.

"I know that Ginny," Harry said.

"Do you?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then why do you never act like it?"

"Ginny, I just wanted to keep you safe."

"Harry, I'm not that goddamn pathetic! You obviously think Hermione and Ron could keep themselves safe, but you look at me and all you see is Ron's little sister that'll end up dead or captured or something at the drop of a hat because she doesn't know what she's doing."

"Ginny, I just really care about you."

"I cared about you two. I thought it was right when I was with you. I thought it made sense. But I guess I was really just a fool. I played by the rules, but I guess I was the only one. So you can't pull that on me now. If you really cared about me, you wouldn't have left me here. Do you know what it's been like since you three left?"

Harry shook his head.

"Couldn't have been more like hell if it were set on fire. Death Eaters were everywhere. If you weren't a Slytherin, you couldn't walk down the hallways without fearing you'd be hexed or even, God forbid, subjected to the Cruciatus Curse for no reason whatsoever. It was even worse for the Mudbloods."

Harry squirmed uncomfortably.

"Don't think yourself so smart for leaving me behind now, huh?" Ginny asked.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny, I didn't know," he responded.

"No, you didn't. Look, Harry, I'm sorry if it makes you upset to see me like this, but there's not much I can do about it. I just don't want to talk about all we've gone through right now. I might've loved you once, but I don't know now. The winner takes it all, and you're definitely the winner in this."

"Ginny…"

"Goodbye, Harry. I'll see you around. I hope we'll still be friends, but I can't guarantee anything."

She mustered a sad smile, sent it his way, then turned on her heel and walked off down the hallway. She hurried around the corner. She made all the way to a deserted secret passage way, that was somehow still standing, before she broke down. She knew it would come. She was right.

She sat there crying until she couldn't anymore. The exhaustion settled back in, and she didn't feel better like she had hoped. She felt worse.

She didn't feel up to coming out and helping, so she stayed where she was. She fell into a deep slumber eventually, and when she finally awoke, her head was pounding, she was sweating, and her body was aching. She could've sworn she was dying.

She realized almost immediately that she wasn't alone. Someone else was in there with her. She jumped up, terrified. The figure next to her started.

"Blimey!" they shouted. "I was dozing off. You scared the hell out of me!"

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar voice.

"Seamus, what are you doing in here?" she questioned.

"Sorry," he said, "but I was assigned to clean up the secret passageways and I found you in here and figured I couldn't leave you alone. I tried to wake you, but you were really in deep sleep."

"Why didn't you tell someone?"

"Something tells me you wouldn't want anyone else to know about this."

He may not act like it sometimes, but Seamus is a pretty smart guy.

"So what happened to you?" he asked. "No offense, but you look terrible. And I been walking around with people who are bleeding profusely from pretty much everywhere."

"It's none of your business," Ginny said, a little more harshly than she had anticipating.

Seamus held his hands up. "Touché."

Ginny looked down at herself then. She really did look terrible. From what she could tell, her hair was a rat's nest, the bags under her eyes that she had acquired halfway through the school year had probably gotten worse, her clothes were twisted about and unruly, and to top it all off, she was both sweaty and bloody.

"We should probably get you to an actual bed, though, Ginny," Seamus said. Ginny didn't argue. She followed behind him as he led her out of the passageway and towards the Great Hall, where they had beds set up because of, well, the lack of Common Rooms. She didn't even care who saw her as she entered the hall. She collapsed on one of the nearest cots and was out again in a second.

**Well, there you have it. That one was a bit closer to the song. I mean, Ginny even said the title of it.**

** Next chapter: the Golden Trio has a chat.**

** Review!**


	3. I Won't Let Go

**Hi everybody. :J So, here's the next chapter. It is based on the song "I Won't Let Go" by Rascal Flatts.**

** Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.**

Harry couldn't believe how terribly wrong that had gone. He knew she was going to be mad, but he hadn't expected her to be _that _mad.

_Well, what did you expect? _Harry thought. _Did you think that she'd just come running back to you because you said you were sorry? You abandoned her._

Harry needed to clear his head. He wasn't exactly sure how to do that though. He couldn't go talk to Ron or Hermione. They'd just want to talk about it and dissect every last word that was shared. He couldn't put up with that. It was really the last thing he needed.

So it was that he took to wandering the halls aimlessly. He didn't really know where he was going, but he also didn't really care. It wouldn't have been the first time.

He walked on and on and suddenly found himself in a courtyard nearly all the way across the castle from where he had started. He sat down on the ground and leaned back against the wall. He didn't know how long he had sat there when he heard a voice behind him.

"How did it go?"

Hermione. Harry mentally sighed and turned his head to her. It was silly to think that he could avoid her. She would run around the world to find him if she had to knowing that he had just talked to Ginny.

"Terrible," Harry said.

"Really?" Hermione asked. "What happened?"

"Hermione, I'm not having this conversation with you. I'd really rather not think about it."

"Harry…" Hermione gaze was sympathetic and she sat down next to him. "I'm so sorry…Honestly, I didn't-"

"Hermione? Where did you go?"

Hermione and Harry both turned to the voice. Ron appeared from around the corner.

"Oh, hey, Harry," Ron said, surprised.

"Hey, Ron," Harry said.

"You okay, mate?"

"Just dandy."

Hermione's sympathetic gaze came back with a vengeance while Ron just looked really confused.

"Um, okay…" Ron said, joining his two friends on the ground. Harry just sighed and pretended he didn't hear Ron and Hermione's whispers of "What's up with him?" and "He talked to Ginny." He knew he wasn't supposed to hear them, and decided to humor his friends.

"Hey, look, Harry," Ron said. "If you ever need to talk, we're both here."

"Yeah, until we breach the subject of your sister, that's off limits," Harry spat, not exactly sure why he was so mad.

"Hey, I'm not the one that made her cry all last summer," Ron said defensively.

"It's not like I did it on purpose!"

"She didn't know that!"

"Stop it, both of you!" Hermione cried. "You two are best friends, you shouldn't fight like this."

Both boys looked sheepishly at the ground.

"Sorry, mate," Ron mumbled.

"Yeah, sorry," Harry muttered back. He placed in head in his hands.

"Seriously though," Ron said, "we really are both here to talk to."

Harry didn't respond, but lifted his head.

"Harry, I know things are rough right now, but they'll get better," Hermione said. "Believe me."

Harry sighed.

"It will," Hermione assured him.

"And you're not alone," Ron added. "Hermione and I are always here."

Harry knew they were no longer talking about just Ginny. They were talking about everything. Everything that had happened. All the deaths. All the pain.

"We all know what you're going through, Harry," Hermione said. "And we're going to stand by you."

"Yeah, mate," Ron said. "We've come this far together. The three of us. It doesn't end here."

Harry couldn't help half-smile at that.

"We're always here," Ron said. "When you've reached your limit, and can't do anything more, we'll be here. And you might not want to hear this, and you may not believe it, but I know Ginny hasn't completely given up on you. I don't think she ever will."

"You'll be okay Harry," Hermione said. "Everything is going to be okay. It's hard to see now, but it will all work out now. It's dark now, but it will be brighter soon. The worst is over."

Harry nodded, but couldn't help but feel that the worst was yet to come in the aftermath of the war. They were missing so many people; nothing would be as it was. That would be the hardest part of it all.

"You have to believe us, Harry," Hermione said. "You may think you're lost, but at least you're not lost alone. We're right here with you. We always have been."

Harry gave her a sad smile. It was the best he could do. Both Ron and Hermione returned it.

"Now this has been really fun, but is it too much to ask to go back inside?" Ron asked. Just like Ron to totally obliterate the moment. The trio got to their feet and walked back into the castle in silence except for the sounds of their shoes on the destroyed castle floor. Harry had a large feeling of gratitude for his friends.

**That one was pretty short, but they'll probably get a lot longer as we get farther into the story. I'm sorry if you thought that was too OOC or too mushy or whatnot, but I thought this discussion was needed, and it fit so well with the song.**

** Next Chapter: Someone dies…**

** Review!**


	4. Come to Me

**Hello, everybody. Sorry for the long wait, but I've been crazy busy. And I just had like zero inspiration for this story. This chapter gets pretty AU because someone dies who doesn't die in the books. Please don't hate me. It's based on "Come to Me: Fantine's Death" from Les Miserables.**

** Oh, and OC alert. I usually try not to use them, but one was needed.**

** Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

The trio walked in silence around the castle. No words were spoken for quite some time. Eventually though, it seemed Hermione could take the silence no longer.

"Well," she said.

"Yes?" Both Harry and Ron said expectantly.

"Well," Hermione said again. "I think we should go see the people in the hospital wing. Don't you?"

Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"Sure," they said in unison. The three went off to the hospital wing.

There were countless people lying in the hospital wing. The smell of something bitter wafted through the air. Madame Pomfrey was brewing some potion.

The three absentmindedly parted from each other, and Hermione wandered towards an older woman who sat staring out a window. She bared a striking resemblance to someone Hermione never wished to see again, and for one horrifying moment, she thought it was this person. But this woman's facial features were softer, kinder; her brown hair was lighter, less threatening. It was Andromeda Tonks.

Hermione walked over to the woman, who seemed to be talking to herself.

"Nymphadora," the woman said. "Nymphadora, come child. It's grown so cold. It's time for bed."

Andromeda locked eyes with Hermione.

"Nymphadora, dear," Andromeda said, a wistful smile present on your face. "Come here, to me."

Hermione was silent.

"Come and rest. How time flies, and every second it gets colder.

Hermione realized with a start that Andromeda thought she was Tonks. She shakily waked to Andromeda and took her hand, which seemed to appease the older witch.

"Another day is dying, child. Darkness is coming, but I shall sing to you and wake you when morning comes."

"Andromeda," said a voice behind the two witches. Andromeda and Hermione looked up in confusion. Harry stood there.

"We don't have much time, Andromeda," Harry said hesitantly.

Andromeda smiled kindly. "I know."

"But I want you to know, Teddy will be safe," Harry said.

"Good," she said, still smiling. She glanced off into the distance, and her face lit up excitedly. "Look! Look at them all! They all look so happy!"

Hermione looked around in confusion, but Harry came forward and placed a hand on Andromeda's shoulder.

"Be at peace," he whispered.

"Teddy," Andromeda said.

"Will be protected," Harry responded.

"I always knew you were a wonderful boy," Andromeda said, then added quietly, "It really is cold."

"You will be warm soon," Harry said.

"Keep Teddy safe, Harry," Andromeda said.

"I will," Harry said,

"Please stay, Harry, Hermione," Andromeda said, for the first time acknowledging that it was Hermione, not Tonks, in front of her. "At least until sleep claims me."

"Of course," they both said automatically.

"And tell Teddy I love him and I'll see him when I wake…"

Andromeda looked quite peaceful. Harry gently closed her eyes. Hermione wiped a tear from her face.

"C'mon," Harry said. "We'll have to tell someone."

They told Madame Pomfrey, who was quite saddened, but not shocked.

"She was fading fast when I got to her," she said. "I did not figure she would last long."

"Now what?" Ron asked.

"We have to find Teddy," Harry said. "He's with Ted's sister, Christine. We need to let her know of Andromeda's passing."

"All right," Ron said, and Ron and Hermione followed Harry off, back to Great Hall. After sifting through the crowd of heads, they finally spotting a sprout of lime green hair. Definitely Teddy.

They headed off in that direction, and eventually more of the lime green haired person was in view. And the person holding the lime green haired bundle.

It was a woman in her mid-forties with dark brown wavy hair and dark skin. She was rather tall in stature and skinny. Hermione followed Harry through the crowd towards the woman.

"Excuse me," Harry said. The woman turned. "Are you Christine?"

The woman smiled warmly. "I am."

"I hate to tell you this, but-" Harry started.

"Andromeda has passed away, hasn't she?" Kristine said, her voice melancholy. Harry nodded.

"I could tell it was coming," she said with a sad smile. "I was preparing myself for it. It still hurts, though."

Everyone was silent for a while as they let Kristine deal with the news for a moment.

"I suppose I will be left to care for Teddy," Kristine said. Her voice was not irritated, or put upon, or exasperated. Just curious.

"I believe that is what Andromeda and Ted would have wanted," Harry said with a nod.

"I shall, then," Kristine said. "Are you, by any chance, Harry?"

Harry looked a bit surprised, then realized that his face was pretty much all over the place in the wizarding world on Number 1 Undesirable posters, and just about every witch and wizard knew what he looked like anyway. In fact, if anything was surprising, it was the fact that she had to ask at all.

"Yes," he said.

"Ted told me about you," Kristine said. "I mean, I heard all about you from the posters and advertisements, but he told me about who you really were. I hear you're the godfather."

"I hear that, too," Harry said, with a small chuckle. Kristine laughed, a light, tinkling laugh. Hermione and Ron couldn't help but grin. It had been a long time since they'd heard Harry make even a small attempt at humor.

"I hope you'll come and see Teddy frequently, then," Kristine said.

"Of course," Harry said.  
"Good," Kristine smiled at him. "Then this will not be our last meeting."

"No, it will not," Harry said.

Kristine gave him one more smile. "I must be off. There is much to do."

Harry nodded, and watched in her wake for a few moments, then turned. "She's right. There is much to do."

Hermione watched him walk off with an odd sense of sadness. He was just distracting himself from the real problem at hand. A problem with bright ginger hair, brown eyes, and a fiery personality.

**There you go.**

** Next week: LUNA! (no, I will not elaborate)**


End file.
